Machine for assembling heel-blanks.



G. B. GROVER. MACHINE EOE ASSEMBLING HEEL BLANES.

. l APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1907. 920,457.

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@wwf mw m my Il-- l s m E m! mm G. B. GROVER. MACHINE POR ASSBMBLING HEEL BLANKS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1a.' 1907.

920,457. Patented May 4, 1909.

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G.B.GR0VER. y MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING HEEL BLANKS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1907.

Patented May 4, 1909. 8 O- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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GEORGE B. GRUVER, OF LYNN, iviASSAUHUSlQrlZlS.

L'VZCEIINE ASSEMBLNG HEEL-BLANKS.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Geenen B. Gnovnn, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Assembling l'leeBlanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates te machines by which heel blanks are" built up trom small pieces or scraps of leather which are iitted together so that two or more pieces together form one complete lift.

The objects sought in the use of this 1nachine are the same as those obtained by the inachine'for assembling heel blanks patented to me January 1), 1904, and numbered 749,788.

In addition to the objects sought and secured by the machine o1'l the abovenoted patent, I further have for an objective to make the devices which position the sides of the hcel blank so that theyr will be automatically adjustable and caused to press inward upon opposite sides el' the blank so as to compact the same'laterall y whenever'the device for compressing the heel vertically applied.

A further object is to combine in the saine machine, mechanism for driving nails into the completed blank, and making such naildriving means adjustable so as to vary the position in dillcrent blanks of the nail 'or nails for temporarily holding the parts el' the blank together.

The accompanying drawings show the preferred embodiment el' a machin e for ca rrying out the above objects.

` Figure 1 represents a side elevation. Fig. 2 represents a central longitudinal section. Fig. 3 represents a liront elevation. Fig. i represents a plan with thel compressing and ho ding clamps in their withdrawn orinoperative positions. Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary plan view showing these parts in their operative positions preparatory to exerting downward pressure upon the blank. Figs. 6 and 7 re resent respectively, an elevation and longitudinal section oi' the top clamp and head in which the saine is nnauited. Fig. 8 represents on a larger scale, a vertical transverse section ol'l the blank-supporting and nailing means. Figs. S) and. 10 represent detail plan views showing the lateral clamp in diiierent positions. Fig. 11 represents a tragrnentarj,7 sectional view, showing the to clamp and naildriving means at the end. oi a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 18, 1907. Serial No. 374:,430.

Patented May 4, 1909.

nail-driving operation. Fig. 12 represents a heel litt built up of several pieces.

The same reference characters indicate the same arts in all the iigures.

In t 1e drawings-1 indicates a base plate or table of considerable lateral extent, on which is secured a brass or composition plate 2 on which the material of the heel is laid while being assembled. ln rear of this plate is a boss 3 which receives a pivot post 4 secured by a set-screw 5. An arm 6 has a boss 7 which pivotally surrounds the post 2 and rests upon the :fixed boss 3. A collar 8 secured by a set-screw 9 holds -the boss 7 against removal l'roin the post. The arm 6 can therefore swing about the ivot 4, and it carries on the outer end a tu ular head 10 within which is mounted so as to reciprocate, a plunger' 11. This plunger is normali)r held elevated by a spring 12 bearing at its upper end against an integral shoulder 13 on the plunger, and at its lower end against a sleeve 14 set into the head. A top clamp 15 is adjustably screwed into the plunger 11 and is secured by a clamping nut 16.- The upper end of the head 10 is bifureated, and carries on a pivot 17 a cam lever' 18 bearing against an antidriction roll 19 carried by the plunger, whereby the top clamp 15 may be depressed. ii t the rear portion ol' the plate 2 is a back rest 2*() adjustably secured by a bolt21 passing through a slot inthe clamp into the plate 1. rlhis clamp is for positioning the breast of a heel blank, and is adjustable for blanks of diilierent sizes.

At each side ot the central art ofthe blank support is a lateral or si e clamp 22 which are curved in approximate conformity with the sides of a boot or shoe heel, and are detachably united by pivots 23. to sliding blocks 24. The latter are held between guides 25 so that theycan travel only in straight lines toward and from each other, and are retained between the guides, by cover plates 26. On each block is a pin 27 which projects through a slot in the neighboring guide 25, and has connected to it a spring 28, ot which the farther end is festened to the lip 29 at one of the sides Of the supporting frame. These springs always tend to draw back the sliding blocks, and t0 se arate the side clamps.

ivoted to brackets 3() at the sides of the late 1 are levers 31 of which one end of each lies outside ol and near the outer end of a block 24, and carries` ascrew 32 adapted to bear on the adjacent end of the block and to be adjusted. The other ends ofthe levers lie near and on opposite sides ofthe ivot post 4, and are engaged by angesl W iich project from the boss 7 ofv the swinging arm, and have eccentric cam surfaces. These surfaces are so arranged that when lthe head l0 is swung into place over the blank-holding space between the side clamps, the ends of t e levers engaged with-thecams are pushed outward, and the other ends which carry the screw abutments are forced inward, thereby moving theblocks 24 and side clamps toward one another to compress the sides ofthe heel blank. This osition is illustrated in Fig, 5.

. Uponthe hea being swung to one side, however, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the levers 31 are released from the pressure of the cams, and the clamps 22 are separated by the springs 28. By this mechanism, it is possi le to leave .a wide enough space between the clamps to lace the pieces forming the heel, but when t e top clamp is brought into position where it can compress the blank, the side clamps are caused to move the pieces laterally and bring their edges into close contact.

For limitig the swing of the arm 6.and head, I provide fixed lugs 34 and 35 on the base late 1, and a projection 36 between such ugs on the boss of the swinging arm. This projection strikesone of the lugs at either limit of its swing, and is arrested. The

rearward lug 35 is threaded and contains an adjustable set-screw 37. which stops the arm when the top clamp is directly over the center of the blank-liolding space As the end of the setscrew is diminished by wear, it can be turned further so as to maintain the adjustment always exact.

Extending downward from the base plate 1 is a tube 38 which has a shoulder 39 to support a cylindrical block 40 which is set into the base substantially flush with the blanksupporting surface thereof, and in the space comprised between the back and side clamps. This block has a central passage containing a pin 41 for removing' the built-up blank, and around the central space it has a number of nailguiding passages 42. In the lower part of the sleeve 38 is a plunger 43 which reciprocates verticallyand is operated by alever 44 from which a link 45 extends to connect with a suitable treadle (not shown). Between the nail block 40 and plunger 43 are driving pins or rods 46 which enter the nail passages 42. Before the parts of the heel are assembled,

nails are dropped into the passages 42 with their points upward, the plunger being then at its lowest position. After the heel has been built Vup and the parts coated with cement or glue and the top clamp forced down to compress the same, the )lunger 43 is forced upward ,j and through e drivers 46,

drives nails into and through the blank to# ward the top clamp 15, as illustrated in Fig. 1l. The pin 4l stops the plunger when the nails have been forced sulliciently far. Upon removal of the top clamp, a further upward `movement of the plunger raises the pin 41,

and lifts the blank out from between the side clamps so that it can be removed. The block 40 can be shifted to alter the positions of the nail passages, the drivers being moved with it, and is held in any position of adjustment by a set-screw 47. The side clamps 22.can be removed from the blocks 24 and others substituted having a greater or less curvature, or more or less width, so as to 'fit heels of all sizes, shapes and heights.

l, claim:w

1. In va machine for assemblingv heel blanks, a base for supporting the elements of the blanks, a tubular head hav: ig extended therefrom a horizontal arm, a boss on said arm pivotally mounted on the base whereby 'the arm may have a swinging movement to bring the tubular head over a heel blank on the base, a topjcontained in said tubular head, a cam-lever mounted on said head for )ressing said top clamp .against a blank, lateral clamps movable toward each other for pressing the pieces composing a blank laterally together, levers for so moving said lateral clamps, and cams movable with the arm for operating said levers when the head is swung into position over the blank.

2. In a machine for assembling heel blanks, a base for supporting the elements of the blank, laterally movable clamps for embracing the blank, a pivotally mounted arm, a head mounted. on said arm capable of swinging therewith over a blank contained between said clamps, a top clamp carried by the head for compressing the blank, and means movable with the arm for bringing said laterally movable clamps toward each other when theuhead is swung over the blank. 3. In a machine for assembling heel blanks, a base for supporting the elements of the blank, laterally movable clamps for embracing the blank, a pivotally mounted arm, a head mounted on said arm capable of swinging therewith over a blank contained between said clamps, a top clamp carried by the head for compressing the blank, actuating levers engaged -with said laterally movable clamps, and means movable with. the arm for operating said levers when the head is swung over the blank to cause approach toward one another of the lateral clamps.

4. In a machine for Aassembling heel blanks, a base for supporting the elements of the blank, laterally movable clamps for embracing the blank, a pivotally mounted arm, a 'head mounted on said arm capable of swinging therewith over a blank contained between said clamps, a top clamp carried by the head for compressing the blank, actuatlhead for pressing other for pressing the r`the latter may slide to carry ing levers engaged with said laterally movable clamps, and a boss formed upon the arm and surrounding the pivot of the latter and carrying eccentric cam surfaces arranged to press against said levers and operate them. to cause approach of the lateral clamps toward one another when the head is swinging over the blank.

5. In a machine for assembling heel blanks, a base for supporting the elements of` the blank, a tubular head having extended l therefrom a horizontal arm, a boss on said arm pivotally mounted on the base whereby the arm may have a swinging movement to bring the tubular head over a heel blank on the base, a top clam contained in said tu bular head, a cam ever mounted on said said top clamp against a lateral clamps movable toward each ieces composing a blank laterally together', levers for so moving said lateral clamps, cams on the boss for operating said levers for the purpose described, a stop shoulder on the boss, and stops on the base for limiting the swinging move ment vof the arm in each direction, one ol." said stops being adjustable to arrest the arm when the head is exactly over the: blank.

6. In a machine of the character described, a base for supporting theV parts of the heel blank. lateral clam is arranged to embrace the blank, sliding b ocks on the outer sides of the clamps and to which the latter are pivoted, guideways :for the blocks in which the clamps toward and from one another, springs acting on the separate blocks tending to move them apart, operating levers arranged to bear on the outer' ends of the blocks, a swingingarm carrying a tubular head arranged to blank,

swing over and away from the blank-con.-

taining space, a vtop clamp movably con tained in said head With means for forcing it down to compress a blank, and cam members connected with said arm in engagement with the block-operating levers, so arranged as to cause the levers 'to 'press the blocks inward when the head is swuiig over the blank-containing space.

'f'. A. machine for assembling heel blanks, comprising a base adapt-ed to support the parts of the blank, lateral clamps for positioning suchparts, a swinging head, a top clamp carried by said head for pressing 'down on the blank, a cylindrical block, having nailqguiding passages, set into the base flush. with the supporting surface thereof and rotatable to shift the positions of such passages, and means for driving nails through such passages linto a blank held by the clamps. i

Si A machine for assembling heel blanks, comprising a base adapted to support the parts of the blank, lateral. clamps for pesitioningsuch parts, a swinging head, a top clamp 'carried by said head down on the blank, a cylindrical block, having nail-guiding passages, into the base llush with the supporting surface thereof and rotatable to shift the positions Iof such passages, driving rods contained in the passages of said block and movable transversely `vvith the rotation thereof, and a plunger bearing against the ends of said driving rods to force nails placed in said passages into a blank held by the clamps.

ln testimony whereof l have alliXed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE B. @ROK/Eli. `lilllitnesses:

il. Asumir BOWEN, Saran PARSONS.

for pressing 

